Ragussis, executive chef of The Pearl Seafood Restaurant & Raw Bar in Rockland, Maine, is an animal lover who has been friends with the Humane Society’s Guinn Friedman for 15 years. When Friedman asked her if she would donate her time for a fundraiser, Ragussis said yes.

“I just want people to take care of animals,” Ragussis said. “They don’t have a voice, so whatever we can do to help.”

Those who paid $10 to attend “Foodies Pair Up for Pets" watched a cooking demonstration by Ragussis while sampling food from Zunzi’s to the sounds of live drums and guitar.

Zunzi’s had its own claim to national cooking fame earlier this year when it’s chicken sandwich The Conquistador was a finalist on the Travel Channel show “Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America.”

Gabriella and Johnny DeBeer, the restaurant’s owners, have six dogs and are advocates of spay and neuter clinics.

“Of course we’ve always loved animals,” Gabriella DeBeer said Sunday. “And if you get famous for any reason, you have to pimp yourself out for something good.”